T'was in the Darkest Depths of Mordor...

Too good to be true, but there it is, right on the online pages of the Pakistan News Service.

Waziristan is home to the Wazir tribes, a rugged, mountainous area along the Afghan-Pakistan border where the conservative tribesmen have lived, feuded, and resisted outside interference for centuries. More recently, Waziristan has become the favored fallback position for Taliban escaping Afghanistan. They've killed as many as 200 local leaders in ongoing efforts to consolidate their own fledgling power in the area. Not surprisingly, Waziristan is also widely regarded as the most likely hiding place for Osama bin Laden and other senior members of the Merry Men.

All of which led someone on the staff of the Paktribune website to make a little joke. A map of Waziristan accompanies a small story on recent military operations against "a large number of miscreants" gathering near Lahda Fort. But look closer at the map. I've ripped it and put it here, because I can't believe it will be allowed to stay up very long.


It's a small map, including all the prominent features of Waziristan. The mountains of Ered Lithui, the Plateau of Gorgoroth, Barad-dur and the Sea of Nurnen.   And in the far northwest, the Dead Marshes, where Frodo and Sam gazed on the faces of the fallen Elves and Men of the Battle of Dagorlad.   Waziristan looks a great deal like Mordor.

Wouldn't it be great to work at a news outlet where you could get away with this?  Be sure to leave a comment at the bottom of the article.  I doubt it will be online much longer.  

Found this through registan.net, over on the sidebar, the best blog I know on Central Asia.